This invention relates to the storage of compact disks used in computers and audio and visual entertainment systems. More particularly it relates to improvement of the containment, personalization, transportation, computer enhancement and storage method used to retain a digital compact disk, known and related to further in this disclosure as CD""s, through the placement of a target grid for folds on paper allowing individual assembling of personalized CD containers from single, uncut sheets of conventional or custom dimensioned paper.
The digital compact disc, or CD, now commonplace in stereos and computers, was introduced in 1982 for digital and audio reproduction. Formally known as compact disc read-only memory, it is a form of a compact disc that reads by optical means. The CD-ROM drive uses a low-power laser beam to read digitized (binary) data that has been encoded in the form of tiny pits on an optical disc. The drive then feeds the data to the computer for processing. Co-invented by Philips Electronics N.V. and Sony Corporation in 1980, the compact disc has expanded beyond audio recordings into other storage-and-distribution uses, notably for computers (CD-ROM) and entertainment systems (videodisc). The compact disc comprises a thin polymeric circular member approximately 4xc2xe inches (12 centimeters) in diameter and having a central aperture to be received on the spindle or centering mechanism of a CD disc player. With the proliferation of growing multimedia files (i.e., audio, graphic, and video) in computer games, educational software, and electronic encyclopedias, as well as high definition movies and the ever expanding storage medium, digital videodiscs (DVD), introduced in 1995, the average computer users are acquiring a large number of CD""s.
Shortly after the advent of the compact disc the conventional xe2x80x9cjewel boxxe2x80x9d packaging container was adapted for sales and storage. These polymeric containers hinge on one side opening to access the internal compartment housing the CD disc, and are susceptible to cracking, and breakage of the hinges. Additionally, the over-all thickness of 0.3125 inch of the container, is far greater than necessary for the protection of the disc, making the storage of multiple discs unduly wasteful of space. There has been little or no change in the basic shape of the CD holder since its initial development. Other storing methods include modified envelopes, which may be purchased from an office supply, but have no method of personalization or computer enhancement such as printing upon them using a conventional printer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,954 of Ira. Moss discloses an article of manufacture comprising a compact disc and convertible package thereof. The device comprises a blank, divided into four panel members by cruciform pairs of parallel intersecting fold lines. A flap portion is formed adjacent to a surface of at least one of said panels and the compact disc is received between the flap and panel. The device may be converted to the storage mode by removing the film, discarding the stiffener member, and folding the panels about the cruciform fold lines to provide a structure in which the disc is encompassed between four thicknesses of material. Tendencies of the device to buckle of expand when in the storage mode are minimized by removing the portion of the blank that encompasses the intersection of the hinge lines, and by connecting the flap to one of the panels in a tension condition. This is primarily a sales and promotional device, providing the durability required to protect the CD, with the limited capability of being modified for a storage container. It still remains a stiff polymer packaging device, with more than the necessary thickness required for storing compact discs and lacks the ability for computerized personalization.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,203,521 of Stanley A. Dunn teaches of a packet for containing documents and for providing thermal protection of those documents, the packet including a sacrificial ablating layer surrounding the documents, and a metal foil covering for shielding the ablating layer from contact with surrounding air. This is a packet for providing thermal protection for documents, with no indication of the light, thin storage of compact discs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,004,144 of Betty J. Selga describes a reusable gift-wrapping comprised of a flexible expanse of folding fabric having releasable Velcro fasteners secured to its periphery. The Velcro fasteners are engaged when the fabric is folded to envelop a carton placed within the expanse of foldable fabric. This is clearly a process of gift wrapping not relating in any way to compact disc storage.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,061 of Ghanshyam H. Pompat et al, discloses a method for custom printing and forming three-dimensional structures using a computer and a computer-controlled printer, incorporating several steps. A flexible rectangular sheet is perforated to form a removable portion. Lines of weakness are formed on the removable portion, to serve as fold lines that ultimately fold the two-dimensional removable portion into a three-dimensional structure. A user instructs a computer program to command a computer-controlled printer to print particular information onto the printing surface of said removable portion. After printing, the user removes the removable portion from the sheet along the perforations and then folds the removable portion along the lines of weakness and secures the folded sheet into a three-dimensional structure. The computer program enables the user to design the custom printing for the structure, and optionally to preview the ultimate appearance of the three-dimensional structure. With this invention a computer is used to create a three-dimensional object to be cut or removed from a single sheet of paper, by the means of cutting on computer generated lines or pre-applied scoring or perforations in the paper. When paper is put through two separate devices as in a scoring or perforating device, and then into a computer by an amateur or a person unskilled in the act of publishing, there may be some alignment problems. Although this object is created from a single sheet of computer paper, there is an involved cutting or separating process along with attaching the parts, and it does not relate to the packaging or storing of computer compact discs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,912 of Scott A. Stevens describes a product and method relating to a personalized envelope assembly secured to the interior of a printed publication such as a magazine, and more particularly to the means and method for binding in the envelope assembly to a personalized and/or customized publication and containing an information bearing disc. This patent primarily deals with the insertion of an envelope into a publication along with the binding methods, not relating in anyway to the personalized unique formation, storage and containment of compact discs constructed from a single sheet of uncut computer conventional or custom sized paper disclosed herein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,666 of Gil Davidov discloses an invention directed to an apparatus and method for making an envelope from ordinary size, readily available, writing paper. Preferably, the apparatus is a compact desktop size machine that can be combined with any common office printer, such as a laser printer, or even incorporated therein, to form a single machine. This patent describes a machine for making a mailing envelope from a single sheet of paper, not conveniently adapted to the unique shape of a computer disc, where the disclosed invention requires the unique use of diagonal folds to adequately enclose the compact disc.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,006,457 of Felix Transport teaches of collapsible three-dimensional hollow ornamental structures. A polyhedral shaped, collapsible hollow structure having a fully enclosed hollow interior that is made from a blank cut from a single sheet of folding board or like sheet material, the blank having a dual cruciform configuration and being provided with a plurality of longitudinal, transverse and oblique scores to enable it to be folded and glued. This patent describes another folded ornamental device made from a single sheet of folding board or like material of no specific size, which requires cutting out or removing by using the perforation process. This patent bears no similarity described herein to the folded jacket, that may be used for the storage or mailing of compact discs.
Consequently there exist a growing need for a CD storage device that can easily and individually be formed from simple conventional paper. Such a device should use a simple method for constructing individual CD jackets to provide containers for the ever growing number of compact discs that are used in the field of audio, graphic, and video software. In forming such a CD jacket from conventional paper, the method and apparatus should provide easy user configuration and assembly of jacket that is easily customizable for labeling of the contents, and providing secure storage from damage for the computer disk therein contained.
The above-noted problems and others are overcome by the unique CD Jacket device, and the method for its forming from but not limited to a single sheet of uncut, standard size paper. Using a computer program or pre printing, fold lines identifying information and ornamentation for the contained disk, will be printed on the paper used for forming the jacket. Printing on both sides of the paper may require printing on one side then turning the paper over and re-inserting the paper back into the printer and printing again on the reverse side. The use of conventionally sized paper is allowed through the use of a novel folding pattern using target fold lines formed with diagonal printing or placement which designate the precise pattern for the diagonal fold lines used to form the appropriate sized CD jacket. Placement of the fold lines on the chosen piece of paper will be accomplished in one preferred embodiment through a special computer program devised for this purpose. The paper may be the common white paper used in computer printers or optionally a custom paper with a glossy color, or just colored surface on one or both sides thereby producing user customizable and professional look.
For optionally enhanced embodiments of the jacket device, custom paper could be provided to the user for imprinting on the computer printer which has adhesive activated by moisture or pressure on the inner surface of the top flap, or on inner surfaces of both top and bottom flap or the inner surface of just the bottom flap of the CD Jacket. Pre-printed and pre-scored papers can be made available in a packaged unit for those without a computer but desirous of using the CD Jacket for audio or video purposes and the ability to label it. The most common adhesive means would be placing a strip of commercially available double sticky back adhesive tape, one half inch from the edge, along the bottom flap, so that the top flap will tuck beneath the bottom flap. With a specialty paper pack for the CD Jacket, double sticky tape can be supplied however conventional transparent tape would work. Different weights or thickness of paper may also be used for the CD Jacket. The paper will be folded along the diagonal lines that are printed on the paper surfaces.
An additional embodiment would define the necessary diagonal fold lines by scoring the sheet of paper with one of the scoring methods disclosed or using pre-scored paper. Scoring while not necessary to define the diagonal fold lines, allows simplification and accuracy of the folding process.
While one preferred embodiment of this invention will use the conventional 8xc2xdxc3x9711 inch paper widely available and used on most computer printers, other optional sizes of paper, like A4 or a specially cut size, while not as convenient, will work and should be considered to be covered within the scope of this patent. Additional benefits are gained by using a paper sized to yield an even better dimensioned final envelope by using a paper substantially 8.5 inches by substantially 11.769 inches.
The unique feature of this patent when used to encompass a conventionally sized CD, is by the provision of a target means for the specific fold lines to yield the diagonal folding of the paper along two primary substantially parallel diagonal lines substantially 4xe2x85x9e inches apart. Then the paper is folded along two secondary substantially parallel lines 4xe2x85x9e inches apart, substantially normal to the first two lines thereby yielding a square enclosure for the intended CD. All folding will be done inwardly forming the enclosure area, with fold lines printed scored or otherwise properly positioned on this surface, designated as the second surface of the paper.
The enclosure area of the CD Jacket provided by the designated target fold lines, provides an area adequately large enough to retain one compact disc and the literature commonly enclosed within the commercial packaging. The outside of the CD Jacket may be printed with information and/or ornamentation
The device to yield a CD jacket using conventionally sized paper uses an initial fold being made inwardly and diagonally from the upper left hand corner of the paper to the right hand side of the page along the computer generated or preprinted, transferral fold line, forming the hypotenuse of a right triangle, thus creating the first primary fold. The second primary fold is made inwardly, and substantially parallel to the first primary fold, 4xe2x85x9e inches apart, translating diagonally across the paper along the hypotenuse of a second right triangle, at or immediately adjacent to the corner of the paper, and also along a transverse fold line. With the 90xc2x0 corner of the first right triangle folded over along the first primary transverse fold line, inwardly and flat against the paper surface and the 90xc2x0 corner of the second right triangle folded over along the second primary fold line, flat against the paper surface, the paper will take the form of a parallelogram with the lower corner missing. In the parallelogram state the first surface of the paper forming the outside of the CD Jacket has the secondary perpendicular fold lines printed on it so that the bottom flap and top flap can fold in place. The top and bottom flaps are in the shape of quadrilaterals with acute and obtuse angles on one side, and 90xc2x0 angles on the folding edge. The bottom flap can be adhered in place by means of double-back sticky tape, or pre-applied adhesive on specialty paper along the diagonal edge. The adhesive is best distanced from the edge, currently substantially xc2xd inch back from the edge, allowing the top flap to be inserted under the edge. On the acute end of the bottom flap, the angle falls short, forming a natural tab, to aid in the insertion of the top flap beneath the edge of the bottom flap.
With this unique design the CD Jacket formed from standard 8xc2xd by 11 paper has a desired diagonal opening flap providing an insertion aperture communicating with the pocket formed inside the folds that when in the open state creates a channel by which the compact disc rolls into the enclosure or pocket. The opening flap can then be folded over to maintain the CD inside the pocket.
Optionally, paper can be provided with scoring of the diagonal target folds formed along the transverse fold lines which will make the folding process easier, but is not necessary in creating the CD Jacket. Or, the paper may be custom sized to yield the best current embodiment of the device by using paper substantially 8.5 inches by substantially 11.769 inches which thereby yields a CD jacket with the especially easy to use openings and flaps.
Although diagonal folding along the printed lines is the simplest preferred embodiment to provide target folds that will yield a CD jacket, a number of alternate means to produce the desired diagonal target folds may be incorporated into the assembly process that will make the folding process easier. The first being a folding platen with the transverse fold lines relieved on one side and projecting on the other so that when the paper is inserted and the platen is closed, the paper will be adequately deformed along the diagonal target fold lines. The second method of placing target lines for folding on the paper would use scoring and would entail a plastic template. The templet would have elongated slots communicating therethrough in positions to scribe the paper in the proper position for the target folds whereby the user would use a tool to scribe the lines along the edges of the template. The third method of providing the lines properly positioned for diagonal folding scoring would incorporate an embossed sheet of plastic with protrusions along the transverse fold lines so that when the plastic sheet was placed over the paper and the surface is rolled over with a small roller, the impressions are inscribed into the paper making the desired scoring application.
It is an object of this invention is to create a personalized paper enclosure for a compact disc, which can be folded to size by an individual using computer placement of target diagonal fold lines printed on conventional sized paper.
Another object of this invention is to create an enclosure for a compact disc that requires no cutting to fabricate and requires only folding along printed diagonal fold lines to assemble.
A further object of the invention is to create a CD Jacket that can be further enhanced and customize through computer generated graphics and text which may be printed on both sides of the completed enclosure.
Another object of this invention is to create a CD Jacket easily formed from specialty papers, colored, glossy, pre-scored or with adhesive applied for a sealing means.
An additional object of this invention is to create a CD Jacket from a single sheet of paper that can be glossy, colored and individualized on one side, and when folded the enhancement will be displayed on both sides of the completed CD Jacket.
Still another object of this invention is to create a storage envelope for a CD that is approximately one fifth the thickness of the current plastic cases used for sales and storage thereby reducing the required area for the ever increasing number of compact discs used by individuals in their audio, graphic, and video applications.
And yet another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for scoring the paper to yield the diagonal parallel fold lines either before or after printing, to simplify the folding process forming the resulting CD jacket.
These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.